Apparatus for making concrete structures



June 7, 1938-. w P|PER 2,119,648

APPARATUS FOR MAKING CONCRETE STRUCTURES Filed June 29, 1955 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 'June 7, 1938. w. F. PIPER 2,119,648

i APPARATUS FOR MAKING CONCRETE STRUCTURES Filed June 29, 1955 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 June 7, 1938.

w. F. PIPER I APPARATUS FOR MAKING CONCRETE STRUCTURES 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed June 29, 1935 June 7, 1938. w. F. PIPER APPARATUS FOR MAKING CONCRETE STRUCTURES Filed June 29, 1935 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Patented June 7, 1938 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.-

APPARATUS FOR MAKING CONCRETE STRUCTURES Application June 29,

8 Claims.

The invention relates to building concrete structures such as tunnels, sewers, conduits, and the like.

One object of the invention is to provide apparatus for centrifugally slinging concrete to pack it into place in building concrete tunnels, conduits, and the like. By centrifugally slinging the concrete into place it has been found that the concrete becomes properly packed to eliminate undesirable voids and particularly in the side and cap portions of a tunnel or conduit.

Another object of the invention is to provide apparatus for centrifugally slinging concrete in building concrete structures.

Another object of the invention is to provide a centrifugal slinger for the construction of concrete tunnels or conduits, which is equipped for changes of position to sling concrete laterally to either side or in the cap portion.

Another object is to provide a centrifugal con- Crete-slinger which is equipped for projecting concrete at different angles.

Another object of the invention is to provide a concrete slinger which is efiicient in operation and has a large capacity.

Other objects will appear from the detailed description.

The invention consists in the several novel features which are hereinafter set forth and are more particularly defined by claims at the con clusion hereof.

In the drawings: 7

Figs. 1 and 2 are cross-sections of a tunnel illustrating the method of slinging concrete to build up the side-Walls of the tunnel.

Fig. 3 is a longitudinal section of the tunnel illustrating the method of slinging concrete to form the cap or key-section;

Fig. 4 is a transverse section of the centrifugal slinger;

Fig. 5 is a section on line 5-5 of Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 is a plan of the slinger;

Fig. '7 is a detail side elevation of one of the devices for adjusting the casing to keep taut the chain for driving the rotor of the projector;

Fig. 8 is a detail showing one of the paddles on the rotor of the slinger;

Fig. 9 is a detail section through one of the paddles; v

Fig. 10 is a transverse se form of the invention; and

Fig. 11 is a side elevation of the form of the invention illustrated in Fig. 8.

The centrifugal projector for slinging the concrete is exemplified with a drum or casing proction of a modified 1935, Serial No. 29,112

vided with an inlet for the concrete adjacent its lower portion, a rotor in the casing provided with paddles for centrifugally slinging the concrete through a peripheral outlet in the casing, after it has travelled around the casing and been subjected to centrifugal force therein, and mechanism for driving the rotor at the proper speed to sling the concrete from a position inside of the tunnel into the form for the concrete. This apparatus is adapted to project the concrete tangentially and obliquely to fill the form at either side of the tunnel and is adjustable to vary the position of the discharge-opening so the paddles of the rotor will project the concrete at different angles, as the concrete is built up, and also into the cap portion or section of the lining.

The projector casing comprises a pair of circular sides l2, each formed of plate-metal fixedly secured by screw I3 to a hub l4, and having an outwardly extending circumferential flange 15, a peripheral wall 16 secured on the flanges l5 of the casing by clamping bands I! which extend around the marginal portions of said wall and are provided with bolts I8 for firmly securing the bands around wall It to fixedly secure said wall to the sides H of the casing. On account of the wear to which the inner face of peripheral wall I6 is subjected it is preferably formed of a plate of metal bent into cylindrical shape and removably clamped to the side plates I2 so the wall can be conveniently replaced when it becomes Worn. The ends of this cylindrical plate are spaced apart to'leave a gap or peripheral opening 19 through which the concrete is projected from the casing. The sides l2 of the casing are held in a spaced relation independently of the peripheral wall plate l6 by spacer bolts l2 which are fixed in brackets [2 which are fixed to the outer faces of the casing sides. This construction exemplifies a casing having its peripheral wall formed of a cylindrical plate of metal which can be readily replaced when it becomes worn and can be produced at a low cost of manufacture.

Each side l2 of the casing is provided with an arcuate opening-20 through which the concrete is supplied to the lower portion of the drum. A hopper 64 is mounted adjacent each side of the projector casing to direct the concrete through the inlet openings 23into the lower portion of the casing where it will be engaged into the path of the paddles. These hoppers are fixedly supported on the supporting frame members 32 by bars 65. In practice a substantially regular stream of concrete is delivered into either of the hoppers 64 while the projector is in operation.

Thisrrnay be done by any suitable conveying apparatus, such as an'endless beltor other suitable conveyor from the concrete mixer.

The hubs of the casing are-rotatably' mounted in hangers orbrackets 30 which are carried'by a supporting frame having-its base extending under the 'casing andjcomprising upstanding sides or members 32 at the sides of the casing,

angle cross beams 33 and a central transverse channel bar 34 all of which are'rigidly securedtogether inany suitable manner. This support ing frame exemplifies a structure which is adapted to support the projector from below so as to leaveclearance for the slinging of the concrete 'concrete' to i be a projected laterally and downso sides of the tunnel.

V crete from the' casingi comprises 'ahub 2i keyed through the peripheral discharge opening in the casing within asuflicient range to permit the wardly'or laterally and upwardly to sling the concrete over the top margin of the form" asitto higher levels for the is successively built up jTheroto'r for centrifugally projecting the con to a drive shaft 22: whichis-journalled in the hub 14 of the casing, a'pa'i'r of oppositely extending radial arms 23', and paddles '24 carried at the outer ends ojfsaid arms. Each arm 23 ispreferably formed of plate metal" and has welded p to its outer end a tangentially extending plate 36" 25.1 Each paddle blade consists of astrip of rubber 267 whichiisjbaclged' on plate 25 and on V its' frorit has a iace plate '2l." The rubber strip a oblique tok its radius so that in its-rotation the i c concretefwill; be directed: toward the angular 4 space adjacent the line of contact between ,the'

- outer end of the'rubber plate 26 andthe'inner and-plateare removablysecured to plate 25 by bolts 28. Theouter andjside margins of the rub 'ber strip 26 are free; to" engage and wipe the contiguous surfaces of the casing. The 'front or operative iace of e achepaddle 24 is tangential or surface of the peripheral wall l6 of the cas ing'so that the concrete in transit. from the lower por g f a tionof, the casing to its upper portion will be packed before it'isdischarged through opening l9.- :It hasbeenifound that bylproviding the paddles with rubbernblades for engaging the'perip e i rs h s 't fia nathQ li u d c t of the concretewill be lifted inithe casing with the solids and projected therefrom; so that the concrete projected will be evenly constituted These strips-, when made of rubber of thedensi 'ty of tire rubber, have;been found to be durable,

e "A series of sectoreshaped plates,29fare secured g fto thehinner fa'ces Oj'fihei side plates 12in the zone traversedbythje elastic blades 26. The ends of said blades wipe the inner faces of; plates 29 to prevent the escape of thegconcrete,around the ends, of thepaddles while the concrete;

"- being lifted in the casing and until itis dis-.1 chargedtherefrom, [The inlet openings Zil'foi' the concrete are disposed in the lower arc of rthe casingandthe discharge opening l'il isQlo-i cated in the upper portion of the casing so' that each, or the vpair of paddles will; in 'itsf 1ota-. tion; traversethelower: arci ofiithe ,cajsing, em gage 'a batch of concrete and confine it between the periphery and'sidesof' the casing an-d'lift the batch togthet upper portioni oftthejcasing.

During thismovement theconcreteiwill be SLlb- ,1 jected to, centrifugal, force and the batch will be packed." As each f'p'addle reaches the discharge openingl l9 thec batch ofconcrete lifted by itwill e P d 1 here dleanl ehir u a from the" casing. In practice a casing or ape proximately four feet in diameter with a rotor travelling at a speed ranging from to revolutions per minute will compact the concrete and project it through outlet IS with such force 7 V c that it can be controllably delivered or placed approximately eight to ten feet from the point of discharge from the casing,

The mechanism for driving the paddles com-i prises an electric motor 35 mounted on an end plate 36 which is fixed to the frame in which the projector is mounted, a pinion 31 on the motorshaft, a gear 38 meshing with said pinion and fixed to a shaft 39 which is journalled in bear- 7 ings '40, a sprocket wheel 4| fixed to one end ofshaft 39, a chain 42 driven by said sprocket and a sprocket wheel 43 fixed to the shaft 22 of the rotor and driven by chain 42. The brack,

ets 30'which carry the shaft 22 of the rotor are; 'connected to the supporting frame members 32 by bolts 60 which pass through slots 5! insaid brackets to permit the casing and rotor to be adjusted as aunit relatively to the drive shaft 39 to keep 'the'driving chain 42 taut Rodsffifl" have their inner ends welded to brackets 3!! and their outer ends provided with screw'threads' ior nuts 63 whichbear against the frame'mem'ber's 32 for convenience in adjusting said brackets-L} The base ofthe supporting frame for thejpfo:

jector is swiveled to turn horizontally to permit the projector to be rotated tosling the concrete along the sides to either side andalso to permit the projector to be turned so 'thepaddles will rotate'longitudinallyof the tunnel or conduit in order to slingjconcrete'into the cap section Lor portion thereof. 7 "For this purposca 'verti'cal'spindle 44 is fixedto and; depends 'from'the channel 'bar '34 of the projector supporting frameand journaled in a-socket 45 on a1 wheeled truck which comprises afra-rne composed of channeled sills 46 rigidly connected-by cr oss channel bars 41 and wheels 48 on axles49 'which, are jour'naled' in the truck frame and are adapted'to'run on rails '50 which are usually fla id o n a temporary 'platform'or staging 5| inthe' tunnelor conduit. 5

This mounting, for the concrete projector makes it possible to rotate it sothat the discharge opening I 9 for the concrete may bepo sitionedto sling the concrete etowardweither side'oi,the tunnel y i g n t e; o t ra p ox mate which movement will'also cause the paddles-24- to' project the concrete accordi ngly.' ;It alsqper it h e tor q hbe swun ho on lly: o sling the concretepalong a side, of-theitunnel within a certain range; 1

In order to vary the' angle'atjwhicliithe crete is dischargedrto direct th'e stream tangen t.

tially and downwardly when'building theQlower,

o i o he ide f he: flann l a d .1 i e ithigher as the'form is filled and built rupjjhe casing is. rotatable around the axisof the pro r jector to bring-the discharge. opening. l9 finto' d aissis p v d qrrot e in a in his Windlass comprises a hand wheel :52'l fixed to-ia transverseshaft53;.whichjs mou tedingbearings; 7' i position to sling the' concrete':at diiierent.vertical angles. For this purpose; the hubs l 4 0i? 1 the casing are rotatable brackets 3]} and; a

54 fixed to" the supporting "frame for'tlieprojector and. a cab1e:55 having its ends connected:

as at 56' and 51 to lugs "fixed toathe clamping bands l1. Bye rotating the'lhand wheel 52 ,in'

either" direction the casing may ber'rotatdetoa 7 I control the positionfiof the;'dischargeopening l9 and the angle atwhich the concrete will be dischargedfrom' the asingf A roame wheel 58" on the shaft 53, and a dog 59 adapted to engage said wheel are adapted to lock the Windlass and the casing in assigned positions.

The method of placing concrete in a tunnel or conduit and the operation of the slinging apparatus is as follows: After a section of the tunnel has been excavated in the usual manner as well understood in the art and circumferential ribs A with a sheathing B have been put in place to hold the surrounding material, the concrete for the base portion or floor 0 of the tunnel may be directly poured or spread into place in the usual manner. The side portions of the form are erected a few feet in height and the concrete may be shoveled or pour-ed directly into these lower side portions because these portions are readily accessible. When the form has been filled with concrete toapproximately the top of the partial form, sections of several feet of form are added at one side of the tunnel. The projector is then adjusted by means of the Windlass to sling the concrete downwardly and laterally to that side of and lengthwise of the tunnel within range of the projector until the portion of the form which has been erected has been filled. While this is done the form is built up at the opposite side of the tunnel. Next the projector will be swung horizontally about 180 to sling concrete into the form at the latter side of the tunnel until it has been built up to the top of the incomplete form. During this filling the form will be again built up for several feet at the opposite side. The projector will be rotatably adjusted to sling concrete over the top of the section of the form last erected and obliquely against the tunnel liner until the concrete reaches the level of the form as far as erected. These steps will be repeated until the key or cap section or zone is reached where it is impossible to project the concrete vertically into place. During these steps the projector will be rotated on the truck and the casing will be rotatively adjusted so the paddles will sling the concrete in the desired directions. When the concrete has been extended to the cap or key zone the projector is rotated on the truck about to bring its axis transverse of the tunnel as illustrated in Fig. 3 and the casing is adjusted so the concrete will be projected obliquely upward. The form is then completed under the cap section step by step, with a steel sheet several feet in width, and the projector is operated to sling the concrete longitudinally of the tunnel and upwardly into the cap or key zone until it has been completely packed and filled. These sheets may be successively put in place, so that the spaces above them will be comparatively short and can be packed with concrete without voids above them. By this method the cap or key zone of the concrete can be filled by projection so that it will be as solid as desired. This is an important factor in the cap or key zone of the tunnel. When a longitudinal section of the tunnel has been completed in this manner, the projector will be moved to the next section and these operations will be repeated.

In the modified form of the invention illustrated in Figs. 10 and 11 the rotor is reversible and is provided with oppositely facing, relatively inclined, paddles 24 and the motor 35 is of the reversible type. The casing is similar in construction to that previously described. The range of rotative adjustment of the casing is increased so that the peripheral discharge opening l9 can be shifted to sling concrete to either side of the tunnel and at different angles while filling the forms as before described. By operating the Windlass for cable 5 1 in this form of leave clearance for the projection ofthe con In this form crete to either side of the tunnel. of the invention the projector and its supporting frame are mounted on the truck so it can swing 90 for filling the cap or key zone with concrete as previously described and to sling the concrete along the section within range of the projector.

The driving mechanism for the projector comprises an electric motor 35 a bevel pinion 3'1 on the motor shaft, a bevel gear 38 rotating on a stud 39 carried by the supporting frame, a sprocket e l fixed to rotate with gear 38 a chain M driven by a sprocket 4 l and a sprocket wheel 43* fixed to the shaft of the rotor. All of.this mechanism is mounted at one side of the supporting frame to leave clearance for the projec-.

tion of the concrete to either side. 7

In the operation of this form of the invention the casing is rotatively adjusted by the Windlass to bring the discharge opening 58 to the side Where the concrete is to be projected and the reversible motor is operated to cause the paddles to rotate and lift the concrete from the lower portion of the casing upwardly around the opposite side thereof and to sling it through said opening. When the concrete is to be discharged at the other side of the tunnel the casing is rotatively adjusted accordingly and the direction of rotationv is reversed which will cause the oppositely facing paddles to lift batches of concrete and to sling it in the desired direction.

The invention exemplifies a method of, and apparatus for, expeditiously projecting concrete to form the sides and top of a tunnel or conduit and has a great capacity. It also exemplifies one which can be quickly and conveniently set to project the concrete to different elevations for successively filling the, successively erected sections of the form and which results in making the concrete of substantially uniform density without weak spots and defects.

The invention is not to be understood as limited to the details set forth and may be modified within the scope of the claims without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

Having thus described the invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a concrete slinger, the combination of a supporting structure, a casing supported by the structure and comprising sides and a cylindrical peripheral wall having a discharge opening for concrete, a vertically-operating rotor in the casing comprising a shaft extending transversely through the casing and a paddle for traversing the outer portion of the casing, and adapted to centrifugally sling concrete through the ,discharge opening, one of the sides having an arcuate and elongated inlet opening for concrete disposed radially outward of the shaft and to deliver' concrete longitudinally into the lower part of the casing and into the path of the paddle, mechanism for driving the rotor, means for rotatably adjusting the casing in the structure to project the concrete at different vertical angles, and stationary means for delivering the concrete to the arcuate inlet opening.

2. In a concrete slinger, the combination of 4 V a supporting" structure, a c'asin'g supported by the structure",and comprisingsides and a cylindrical peripheral 'wall having a' dischargegbp'en ing for concreta a vertically-operating rotor in the casing comprising a shaftextendingt'ransversely' through the; casing and, a paddle for traversing the outer p ortion' of the ,casing and fada'pted' to centrifug'ally sling concrete through the dischaige'opening; 'on'e offthe sides having an inlet opening'to deliver 'concrete 'longitudinally into thelower partrof the casing and into the path of the paddle, mechanism for driving 7 the rotor, and meansfiforrotatably adjusting the casing 'in' the structure to project the concrete at different angles, comprising a cable around the casing and a Windlass for the cable.

3. In'a centriiugalslinger, the combination of a casing comprising sides and a cylindrical plate of metal forming-the outerwall and terminating to provide a peripheral discharge opening, clampiing bands-for removably securing the plate on the sides, a rotor in the casing provided with a paddle forlifting concrete and slinging it-throngh the opening, and mechanism for driving the rotor. V

Inarotary concreteslinger, the combination of a casing provide d'with a peripheral discharge opening, a supporting structure for the casing,

a rotor provided with a paddle comprising a strip formed of elastic material and a rigid backing and facing for said strip, and mechanism for driving the rotor. r V

5. In a rotary concrete slinger, the combination of a casing provided with a. peripheral discharge "openingfa' rotor in the casing provided with oppositely facinglmeans for respectively lifting and projecting concrete in opposite directions, means for'driving the rotor in either direction to correspondingly project the concrete; and means for variably positioning thedischarge-opening so the concrete will be discharged to one side of the casing when the rotor is driven in one direction p and; to the'iothrfsidej wnezrit is driven inthef 'tion and'to the other sidefwh the opposite direction. j' i opposite directionf 7 6. In a rotary concrete 'slinger, the combination of a? casing provided witha peripheralltdischarge openingfa rotor in the casing provided with oppositely facing, relatively langled, faces for, re-

spectively lifting 'and projecting concrete in opposite directiona'means for driving the roitor in 7 either direction to correspondingly projectthe v concrete, and' means' for variably positioning the discharge-opening so the concrete will be" dis charged to one side 'of the casing when the rotor when it is' driven'in the opposite direction.

7. In a' rotary concretejslinger, the combination of a rotatablylmounted casing" provided with a peripheral discharge opening, arotorrfin the case ing' provided with oppositely. facing means, for i respectively lifting and slinging concrete when the rotor is driven inopposite directions; means for driving the rotor'in" either direction 'to pro-.- ject the concrete; and means for rotatably 'ad-' justingo-the' casing 'to ivaria bly' position :the {discharge opening so the concrete will be discharged to oneside Whenthe rotor is driven "in one. direc- 7 n it is driven in '8. In a rotary concrete slin'ger, the combination of a casing provided with 'ajp'eripheral discharge opening, a rotor mounted to'rot'ate vertically in the casing and provided with oppositely facing paddles forrespectively projectingconcrete when is'driven in one direction and tothe other:side

the rotor is'driven in oppositedirections, means i i for driving the rotor in either direction to project the concrete; means 'for variably'positioning the, discharge opening so jthe" concrete will'bei dis charged to one side when the rotor isdriven in on'e'direction and totheptl er side when it, is

driven in the opposite direction, and avertical pivotal support for the casing.

WALTER PIPER. 11 

